The Meaning of Family
by ifancyremus
Summary: Teddy Lupin knows he is loved, but when the holidays come around, he feels a bit lonely.    Inspired by The Remus Lupins' song Literary Echo:  www . youtube  . com/watch?v hUX7KTR0YWs


**Author's note: **My second attempt at Harry Potter fanfiction. My first was a failure that shall not be discussed. This piece was inspired by The Remus Lupins' song Literary Echo: .com/watch?v hUX7KTR0YWs Go listen. 3

I'd like to thank Alex for giving me the idea, and the plurkies for encouraging me to finish and to post it. I'd also like to thank Kerry for her amazing review. I still don't believe I deserve it. I love you all. 3

Please R/R!

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"Happy Christmas, Harry!"

"Happy Christmas, Her-oof!"

Harry's reply was cut short as he was attacked by a warm body and a mane of frizzy hair. Though his first reaction was to scratch the itch that had developed on his cheek, Harry humoured his petite friend and returned the hug.

"Hermione, let Harry go. You just saw him in person at work yesterday, and you flooed to tell him we were leaving soon a quarter of an hour ago!"

The young witch's brows furrowed as she straightened up and turned to glare at her husband. "I can recall perfectly well when I last encountered one of my best friends, Ronald Weasley. However, it's been ages since we popped over for a proper visit. First Rose's cold, then those surprisingly long hours preparing for my case against the werewolf registry..." Hermione continued listing events that had prevented her from visiting, much to the dismay of her husband and friend. Luckily for the two less-than-interested men, Ginny chose that moment to enter from the kitchen, flour covering her snitch-patterned apron. She approached the group, taking Hugo and Rose upstairs to join the rest of the children before returning to the conversation.

"Hermione, it's been ages!"

Ron rolled his eyes in Harry's direction, and turned to him, whispering, "Our wives have turned into right old hens, yeah?"

"Ron!" Both women screeched at him, his sister's eyes flaming.

Harry, who wanted to stay on good terms with his wife, strode behind her and wound his arms around hers. "Old hen or not, you're still the loveliest in the coop."

All four adults went silent. The pause was disrupted by a guffaw of laughter surprisingly leaving the lips of a red-faced Hermione. She was joined by Ginny's giggles. Ron even let out a chuckle at his best mate's expense.

"I love you, Harry, but your lines are absolutely dreadful." Ginny gave her husband an apologetic peck on the lips in an attempt to heal his wounded ego.

Harry was saved from further embarrassment by the momentary change in colour of the flames in the fireplace to bright green, followed by the appearance of a plump woman in her sixties and, moments later, an 11 year old boy with lemon yellow hair.

Molly Weasley brushed herself off and whipped out her wand, beginning to enlarge covered dishes emitting heavenly smells that had obviously been shrunken down for her journey. "Andromeda's ill, poor dear. I popped over to ask for her mince pie recipe from last Christmas, and she insisted that I bring Teddy over."

"Mum, I said I'd be preparing Christmas dinner this year!" Ginny sighed as her mother produced even more dishes from a hidden pocket in her apron.

"Nonsense, dear. I only brought over a few basics. There's still plenty for you to do. You are preparing a turkey, aren't you?" Ginny rolled her eyes at her mother's overbearing nature. Honestly, she should've expected it. Her brown eyes brightened as she turned to her former professor's young son.

"Happy Christmas, Teddy! Did you get anything good from Father Christmas this year?"

Teddy, too polite to tell Ginny that a few Slytherin boys in his year had let them all know the hoax of Father Christmas quite early on, listed a few gifts. "A new eagle-feather quill, a Chudley Canons jersey, and a grindylow! Gran says it'll have to stay in a tank in my room. I can't wait to study it all summer! Madame Pince helped me find a book on them before the holiday."

Harry couldn't help but grin at his godson's enthusiasm. He was so like his father. THUNK. Harry was shaken from his thoughts by the sight of Teddy, sprawled on the floor. He had apparently gotten a bit *too* excited and toppled over. He definitely had a bit of his mother in him, as well.

Teddy jumped up, blushed, and mumbled something about going upstairs to find the rest of the children. The adults chatted away, making their way towards the kitchen to finish preparing for Christmas dinner.

An hour later, the two tables in the adjoining dining rooms were full of people. Chairs had been conjured, the tables had doubled in size thanks to Ginny and Hermione's Engorgio charms, and every inch of their surfaces were laden with half-empty dishes of food. The chatter in the rooms was deafening. Harry, Ron, Bill, and Charlie were loudly arguing over a quidditch play that had occurred over a fortnight ago. Ginny, Hermione, Audrey, Fleur, and Molly were fawning over the details of Gabrielle Delacour's engagement to Dennis Creevey. Arthur was proudly explaining the exact function of a rubber duck to Fred, James, and Rose. Percy and George were discussing the financial status of the joke shop. Hugo, Lily, and little Molly were tucked away upstairs. Albus was yawning from his mother's lap, and Dominique was falling asleep at the table. Teddy, the only other remaining occupant of the kids' table, wondered if her head was going to slip off of her palm and into the cold potatoes that had been left uneaten on her plate. He was about to move it when he was approached by Victoire, who had been helping clear the table with a very pregnant Aunt Angelina.

"What're you doing over here by yourself, Teddy?" The young girl gazed up at him inquisitively. She was two years younger than him, but Teddy couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by his petite friend. Her question was innocent, but he knew she expected an answer.

"I'm not by myself, Vic." He motioned to her comatose sister. Both stared at Dom, being jolted back into reality when the inevitable happened and her face finally came in contact with the remaining gravy-laden potatoes on her plate. Not surprisingly, the young Weasley didn't stir. She definitely was her father's daughter.

"I better wake her up before those crust onto her cheek," Victoire wrinkled her nose in disgust. As she moved to help her sister, making a detour into the kitchen for a wet cloth, Teddy couldn't help but notice that, even though they were best friends, he would always be one step below Victoire's real family. He sighed as he took in the boisterous mass of red hair and happiness that surrounded him. He loved the Weasleys, he really did, but sometimes he felt a bit of an...outsider. Like he didn't belong. They had each other; Teddy only had his Gran. Well, there were all of those blood-crazy maniacs on his mum's side, but they didn't count. If the language he'd once overheard Ron use to describe them was anything to go by, Teddy was perfectly fine with the disassociation with that rather unfortunate branch of his limited family tree.

He was startled out of his brooding once again, this time by Grandmum Molly- she'd insisted he call her that since he had started talking- and her praises towards Harry and Ginny and their successful holiday dinner. Teddy decided he'd had enough cheer for one day, and pushed his chair back, leaving the nearly empty table for the even more solitary room that he stayed in whenever he was at Harry's.

***  
"Teddy?"

Teddy heard Harry call his name for the fifth time, but continued ignoring it. He didn't especially want to be found. He'd bet ten quid that everyone was going home to be with their families on Christmas night, and Harry had been sent to fetch him for endless hugs and kisses as the happy groups ventured out into the cold. Honestly, he was a bit surprised that anyone had remembered him. They were all so wrapped up in family togetherness.

Teddy had already made plans to stay over Harry's house tonight, but he just wanted to go home to his gran, or back to Hogwarts with his friends. At Hogwarts, Teddy didn't dwell on the loss of his parents. He wasn't the only one whose family had been destroyed by the war. He was one of many.

At the annual Weasley Christmas dinner, however, Teddy always felt a bit excluded. He loved the Weasleys, but, to put it bluntly, he wasn't one. This year was even worse without Gran. Teddy sighed as he gazed out of the window at the falling snow. As he crossed his room to light his bedside lamp, he found himself sprawled on his back on the floor. The resounding thud that had accompanied his fall informed Harry of his whereabouts, leading the still fairly young wizard to the dark room he had overlooked.

"There you are, Teddy. Didn't you hear me calling you?"

Teddy scowled internally, cursing his mother's lack of equilibrium that he had obviously inherited. "I must've zoned out for a bit there. Sorry, Harry." The young boy sighed again, and slowly got up, walking past Harry to the door.

Harry, noticing his godson's less-than-cheerful mood, reached out and clasped his shoulder, stopping him. "Hold on a minute, Teddy. We're in no rush; you know how the women can talk. Well, the women and Percy. Regardless, no one is leaving anytime soon."

Both Harry and Teddy grimaced, silently grateful that they were avoiding the chatter. Harry coughed, trying to stay focused on why they were still in the bedroom.

"You look like you were attacked by a dementor, Teddy! What's wrong?"

Teddy shrugged, releasing himself from his godfather's grasp. Harry wasn't finished yet, however.

"Teddy. You're obviously upset about something." The man rubbed the back of his neck, not yet used to the whole parenting thing. The thought that Teddy was good practice for his own children briefly crossed his mind before his eyebrows knit together as he looked at his godson. "Talk to me, Teddy. It's Christmas! You're surrounded by people who love you! Why aren't you happy? Did James tie your shoes together again?" For a five-year-old, Harry's first son was incredibly cunning. He was also incredibly misbehaving.

"That's just it, Harry!" Unfortunately, Teddy just slid down the wall onto the floor rather than elaborating.

"James tied your shoes together?"

"No, before that."

"Teddy, I didn't script what I was going to say. Could you humour me by being a bit more specific?"

"You tawd but famy," Teddy mumbled into his hands, which were covering his face.

"What?"

"I said 'you talked about family'!"

"What about it?" Harry wondered if he had been this confusing at age eleven.

Teddy lowered his head back into his hands. Harry tried to wait for him to speak first, picking at the peeling Nimbus wallpaper to pass the time. He started as he noticed that Teddy's hair had turned a mousy brown shade that was streaked with grey in places. Harry immediately thought of his former DADA professor and the stress he had dealt with that had aged him prematurely. His mind then focused on the bright young auror who had gotten so depressed that she lost her colour. What was wrong with Teddy?

Harry's worry overcame his decision to give Teddy time. He gently reached out to the boy, tapping him lightly on the shoulder. "Teddy. What's wrong? You know you can talk to me. It's just Harry."

Just when Harry thought all hope of a response was lost, Teddy slowly looked up. "My parents are dead," he croaked. Harry, a bit startled by his godson's blunt statement, summoned a glass of water for something to do.

He watched as Teddy eagerly gulped the water, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, the observant eleven-year-old noticed his discomfort and spoke again.

"I'm not stupid. I know that my parents are dead. I just...notice it more at the holidays. I remember that I only have Gran. All of you have each other, the Weasley clan. I guess I just get lonely around this time of year. It's silly of me, really. My parents have been dead for eleven years. I should be used to it by now. And now I'm bugging you and keeping you from seeing your family and I'm just a stupid kid who want his mum and dad and-" Teddy's tears made him stop speaking. He turned away from Harry as he cried, embarrassed for what he thought was babyish behaviour.

Harry, however, didn't find his rambling silly or stupid at all. "Teddy Lupin, stop apologising. I know exactly how you feel. I know people say that all the time, about things the know nothing about, but I mean it. My mum and dad were gone before I knew them. I grew up with my horrid aunt and uncle and my spoiled cousin. I'm blessed to be part of the Weasley clan, but I still get lonely sometimes. There's no shame in missing them, Teddy. They would be so proud of you." Harry wrapped his arms around his godson, holding him through the tears. Harry's eyes were no longer dry when Teddy eventually pulled away.

"Teddy, this should go without saying, but you're as much of a part of that insane group if witches and wizards downstairs as anyone. You can even morph red hair and freckles to blend in! You'll always miss them like crazy. It never goes away, and it pops up out if nowhere. No matter what, you'll always have us. I promised your dad that I'd be your godfather the night you were born, and I don't go back on my word. I might not be responsible like Hermione, or as funny as Ron, but I'm going to try my hardest to be the best damn godfather I can. Just remember that you're never alone. You and I, we're lucky enough to have a never-ending supply of red hair, hugs, and good cooking downstairs. We should make the most of it."

A thud, followed by a wail and the cry of "James! What did I tell you about tying people's shoelaces together?" from an indignant mother broke the moment. Both males cringed, knowing exactly what it was like to be on the other end of Ginny's scolding.

"I guess I should go down and prevent my wife from killing our son," Harry chuckled as he rose from the floor.

"I guess I should go say goodbye to the family. *My* family," Teddy accepted Harry's proffered hand, grinning as he stood. The two honorary Weasley's exited the room, Harry's arm around his godson, whose hair was now bright red. They descended the stairs into the chaotic sea of people who loved them.

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**Author's Note Part II:** Now you've read my story. You may have enjoyed it...or not. I'd like to know! All reviewers get their choice of a sad Potterverse character. Your mission is to make him/her/it feel all warm and fluffy inside again. :D


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